Page 10 - Monograph Max

The origin of both divine and human creativity occurs in a space we cannot access. Art is a dynamic process, more than a momentary
snapshot, more than the imposition of order: “You must carry a chaos within yourself in order to give birth to a star.” Yet, although we are unable to ex- plain this secret of fashioning, artists can still try to relive the moment of creation. It seems that God cre- ates not simply as a scientist, but as an artist. This great artist brings life out of nothingness into matu- rity. Wassily Kandinsky said: “Painting is like a thun- dering collision of different worlds that are destined in and through conflict to create that new world called the work. Technically, every work of art comes into being in the same way as the cosmos—by means of catastrophes, which ultimately create out of the cacophony of the various instruments that sympho- ny we call the music of the spheres. The creation of the work of art is the creation of the world” (Wassily Kandinsky, Complete Writings on Art [Boston, MA: Da Capo, 1994], 373).
From the beginning I was wondering who the simple man is who doesn’t play some false theatrical role in dealing with the people around him. I also asked myself: what is the Christian portrait?
Referring to the biblical concept of humanity’s separation from God and the resulting state of sin, one may suggest that one of the effects of the Fall is
the loss of the simplicity of perception, specifically the simplicity of one’s gaze or eye.
The Bible demonstrates that a person’s eye can reflect the state of their soul, either revealing its simplicity or wickedness. Simplicity here refers to perceiving the world as it would be seen in the King- dom of God, with an understanding and apprecia- tion of the inherent goodness of creation. On the other hand, a wicked gaze views the world as an en- emy, perceiving everything around as sinful and seeking ways to escape or merely survive within it.
The loss of simplicity, and subsequently the light within, is described as dwelling in darkness despite the illusion of seeing. The complicated and wicked way of perceiving the world dominates a person’s life, obscuring the inner light and replacing it with darkness.
The Fall resulted in a distorted and complicated perception of the world, where the inherent good- ness of creation is obscured by a wicked gaze. The simplicity of the soul and the gaze, which enables one to see the world as it truly is, has been lost.
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As a young boy, I stumbled upon the enchanting world of colored glass marbles, and it was like dis- covering a simple yet magical treasure. I quickly found that I had a knack for playing marbles, and my skill led me to victory in games against the other kids
Humble Beginnings
Bishop Maxim
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